Anelka double helps City past woeful Charlton

Kevin Keegan's relief was palpable. After City's dismal start to the season - one point out of nine - this thumping victory takes a deal of pressure from his shoulders. But at the back of his mind must lurk the worry that City were far from scintillating. Much of their passing was poor and the defence less than secure.

So how come they won so easily? Simple: Charlton were dreadful. Not only did their back four hand out chances like birthday presents, their attack made no impression whatsoever and when a pearl of a chance fell to Danny Murphy he blazed over.

That miss came when City were leading 1-0. Nicolas Anelka, comfortably the game's best player, had finished off what was arguably the move of the match.

Danny Mills played the ball in from the right, Robbie Fowler cleverly feinted to allow the ball to run to Anelka and he made himself room for a shot that left Dean Kiely stranded as it flew in off a post.

Trevor Sinclair scored City's second courtesy of a defensive howler by Luke Young. Shaun Wright-Phillips knocked a run-of-the-mill ball in from the right and Young should have cleared comfortably. Instead he waited for Kiely and the keeper's attempted clearance hit Sinclair's legs and rebounded into the goal.

The second half brought no improvement from either side, but City added another two goals. Wright-Phillips knocked a 30-yard ball that allowed Anelka to out-sprint a ponderous defence and coolly beat the advancing keeper. Number four was set up by Anelka for Wright-Phillips. His excellent shot from 20 yards took a slight deflection and poor Kiely had no chance.

Charlton had nothing to offer in return. Murphy worked hard but without support. Francis Jeffers, playing his second game for the club, had one good header that went narrowly wide. David James was otherwise untroubled. Which, perhaps, was just as well after his dodgy performance against Liverpool last week and with new signing Ronald Waterreus waiting on the bench.

When Charlton crashed 4-1 to Bolton on the opening day, manager Alan Curbishley said it was unlike any Charlton side he had put out. And after this: 'The same characteristics as in the Bolton game were there again. It's left me with a lot of thinking to do. We looked a soft touch. We can't carry on like this. We can't have it.'

Keegan was happy to sing Anelka's praises: 'He underlined today what an important player he is to this club. Every time he got the ball you felt something was going to happen.' Which was just as well.